Hammock



S. A. LO VICO Feb. 19, 1957 HAMMOCK Filed Dec. 23, 1955 SALVATORE A. LoV/CO INVENTOR.

United States Patent HAMMOCK Salvatore A. Lo Vico, Holls, N. Y.

Application December 23, 1953, Serial No. 399,981

2 Claims. (Cl. 5 122) My present invention relates to hammocks and has for its main object the provision of improved means for either two-point -or three-point snspension of the hammock body. v

In conventional hammocks, an elongated body of fabric of generally rectangular configuration is supported at its extremities by strands or clews which are attached to the fabric and looped through a pair of anchor rings (often referred to as D-rings) at one end and through a single such ring at the other end of the hammock (three-point mounting), or through a single ring at each end (two-point mounting). The strands of each set are spread out, for the purpose of stress distribution, over a triangular area with its apex at the respective anchor ring and with its base at one of the narrow, transverse edges of the fabric; thus, most of the strands extend at an angle to one another and to the main dimension of the hammock, whereby a change in stress direction occurs at the very point where each clew is attached to the fabric. This condition may cause detachment of the outermost strands, which enclose the sharpest angle with the fabric edge and which are subject to the severest stresses (particularly when the user gets on and o the hammock), followed by progressive overloading of the remaining strands and eventual failure of the entire suspension. To guard against this eventuality, hammocks of this description are often provided with a large multiplicity of strands which render them unsightly and lead to entanglements during transportation or storage.

A more particular object of my present invention, ac cordingly, is the provision of means for clewlessly suspending the fabric body of a hammock so as to avoid the disadvantages set out above.

According to my invention, I provide each end of a rectangular strip of fabric or other sheet material, serving as the hammock body, with an integral, at least roughly trapezoidal extension and fastening means adjacent the shorter transverse edge of the trapezoid. The fastening means may comprise the usual, roughly triangular anchor rings traversed by straps which extend from said shorter edge. An important feature of my invention resides in the mounting of each ring at a point located substantially in line with either or both of the inclined edges of the trapezoid, whereby the principal stresses of suspension Will be absorbed by these edges which may be suitably reinforced by webbing. The webbing may, in

fact, be integral with the strap which is looped through 2 thereof, hence it may be manufactured at relatively low cost.

The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of certain representative em bodiments, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hammock according to the invention, mounted ready for use on a supporting frame;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the hammock proper, in outstretched condition; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary bottom view of a modified hammock according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a hammock 10 suspended between nearly upright ends of a supporting frame 11 of conventional design. Attached to this frame by means of hooks 12a, 12b, 12c are three anchor rings 13a, 13b, 13c, respectively, the last-mentioned ring being connected with its hook by means of a chain 14.

The hammock 10'comprises a rectangular main body portion 15, framed by marginal strips 16, 17 and transverse strips 18, 19, as well as a pair of trapezoidal extensions 20 and 21. Extension 20 is provided with a pair of V-shaped straps 22a, 22b each defining a triangle with part of strip 18; extension 21 is similar-ly provided With a V-shaped strap 22c defining a triangle with strip 19. Strap 22a extends from strip 18 along one of the inclined edges of trapezoidal portion 20 and a short distance beyond that portion, traverses the ring 13a and returns to the center of strip 13; strap 22b similarly extends along the other'inclined edge of portion 20, traverses ring 13b and returns to the junction of strap 22a and strip 18. Strap 22c, joining strip 19 at its ends, ex tends along both inclined edges of trapezoidal portion 21 and slightly beyond that portion to pass through ring 13c.

The straps 22a22c as well as the strip members 1619 may consist of similar pieces of strong webbing stitched to the fabric of body 15, 20, 21 along the entire area of contact therewith, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. It will be understood that straps 22a, 22b may be integral with each other, and/or with strip 18 or strips 16, 17, and that strap 22c may similarly be integral with strip 19 or with strips 16, 17. The marginal strips such as 16, 17 may, of course, extend along both surfaces of the hammock body if desired; they may also serve as fastening means for tassels 23 or similar adornments. Transverse strips 18, 19 act as retaining means for stiffening rods 25, preferably of spring steel, serving to maintain the flat shape of the hammock body.

An auxiliary strap 24 is shown to extend along the center of the large trapezoidal extension 21 and to be looped through ring 13c to give additional support.

The modified hammock of Fig. 3 comprises a central body portion provided with two roughly tra pezoidal extensions of which only the left-hand extension has been shown. This extension terminates in two integral straps 122d, 122b designed to be bent over and stitched to the underlying fabric, as shown for strap 122a, to engage an anchor member such as ring 113a. The entire hammock body, including the strap portions 122a, 122b, is shown lined with webbing 116.

It Will be noted that the roughly trapezoidal extension 120 forms a saddle between straps 122a, 122b to avoid sharp angles at the inner edges of these straps. This saddle may, of course, be deepened until the end portion 120 is split into two roughly triangular but essentially trapezoidal sections each with its own anchor ring, comparable to the sections defined by webbing 22a, 2217 in Fig. 2. It will also be understood that the right-hand end of hammock 110 is of substantally the same configuration as end portion 21 in Fig. 2, i. e. nearly triangular,

3 andterminates ina .sngle.,central.strapsuch.as.l22a,12212.

The hammocks 10, 110 shown in the drawing, adapted for three-point mounting, may of course be modified for two-point suspension by -replacing the extension 20 or 120 with a trapezoidal portion similar to extension 21. Thisand 0ther modifications Will be readly apparent to persons skilled in the art and are deemed to come within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended Claims.

:I claim:

l. Arhammocl; comprising a rectangular body of sheet material having a pair of at least r0ughly trapezoidal end portions integral with said body, first and second anchor means each including at least one ring adjacenta respective=end:portion, two continuous strip members engaging said rings and cxtending between said first and second anchor means on opposite sides of said body, said strip rnembers lining the edges of said body and the inclined fianks of said trapezoidal end portions, a pair of transvcrsestrps connected at their ends with said continuous 20 strip members and extending along the junction lines between said body and said end portions, and auxiliary stripmeans connected With said continuous strip members -and extending Ir0m r said -rings across the l respective end portions to the center of the corresp0ndng transverse strip.

2. A hammock according to claim l, wherein one of said end portions has an Outer transverse edge longer than the corresponding edge of the other end portion, said anchor means comprisng a pair of rings at said one end portion and a single ring at said other end porton.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 273,388 Pratt Mar. 6, 1883 466,013 Stiles Dec. 29, 1891 650,554 Conley May 29, 1900 699,410 Palmer May 6, 1902 700,978 Palmer May 27, 1902 725,475 Palmer Apr. 14, 1903 954,421 Connery Apr. 12, 1910 957,644 Berger May 10, 1910 1,248,838 Foster Dec. 4, 1917 1,748,501 Stevens Feb. .25, 1930 2,569,596 Anderegg Oct. 2, 1951 

